BMW confirms 7 Series diesel for North America

The 740Ld xDrive shares its 3.0-litre turbodiesel inline-six with the 535d, meaning it too pumps out 255 horsepower an 413 lb.-ft. of torque.Handout

BMW has confirmed the latest addition to its diesel lineup in North America will be the 740Ld xDrive, set to debut at next month’s Chicago auto show.

The latest addition to the 7 Series family shares an engine with the 535d, meaning its 3.0-litre turbodiesel inline-six will pump out 255 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 413 pound-feet of torque anywhere from 1,500 to 3,000 rpm. BMW’s eight-speed automatic transmission will be the only transmission option and will feed power to all four wheels, translating to a 0-100 km/h time of 6.1 seconds.

Despite the TwinPower Turbo name, the inline-six has a single turbocharger, improving throttle response and low-end torque while cutting the need for a wastegate. In addition, BMW also used aluminum extenstively throughout the engine block to keep the weight down.

Exact fuel economy figures haven’t been confirmed, but historically, BMW has seen an improvement of anywhere between 25 and 30 per cent over the gasoline alternative. BMW’s Driving Dynamics Control (complete with Auto Start/Stop and Eco Pro modes) are standard. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but the BMW 740Ld xDrive will join the diesel 3, 5 and X5 models once spring rolls around.